03/02/2014
Demystifying myths about mutual funds
Myth 1 - Mutual Funds are all about equity.
Not all mutual fund schemes invest in equities. Debt / Income oriented MF schemes invest in fixedincome securities such as bonds, government securities & money markets which are consideredsafer in comparison to growth / equity oriented schemes. The aim of equity schemes is to providethe opportunity to grow your money over the medium to long term. There is also the option ofinvesting in Balanced Schemes which invest in both equities & fixed income securities.
Myth 2 – I don’t need to understand the mutual fund scheme that I am investing in, Ionly know the Mutual Fund House.
Even though selecting an established mutual fund house can be considered an important factor itis very important to understand the scheme as well before investing. Every individual has financialneeds and goals. Your needs could be tax saving, regular income, wealth creation or saving. Yourgoals could be long term or short term. There are various mutual fund schemes which can helpyou in planning for different goals making it important to understand which scheme can help youplan for which goal, before investing in them
Myth 3 – I need a lot of money to invest in Mutual Funds
No, it’s not necessary that you need a lot of money to invest in Mutual Funds. For the convenienceof investors, there is a method called Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) through which you caninvest a certain amount in a MF scheme every month or a frequency you choose. The minimumamount varies from Rs. 50 / Rs. 500 / Rs. 1000 depending on the scheme selected by you andeven the fund house selected by you. You may start your SIP keeping your long term goals inmind such as your child’s marriage, higher education, buying a house or going on a vacationabroad.
Myth 4 - I never know when it is the right time to invest.
Mutual Funds are managed by a team of experts who constantly track the markets, identifymarket trends, research & analyze various industries & economic conditions while makinginvestment decisions. It is more important that you invest regularly and stay invested for the longterm; leave the management of your money to the experts.
Mutual Fund Investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.